2.1. Monoclonal Antibodies
Kohler and Milstein demonstrated in 1975 that antibody-producing cell lines could be produced by somatic cell hybridization, a process by which lymphocytes and myelomas are fused into single cells and cloned [G. Kohler and C. Milstein, Nature 256:495-497 (1975)]. The resulting cell lines, termed "hybridomas", retain the antibody-secreting capacity of the parental lymphocyte and, at the same time, gain the immortality of the parental myeloma cell line, that is, the ability to reproduce themselves indefinitely. With this combination of features, hybridomas produce unlimited homogeneous antibody (monoclonal antibody) that can be selected for desired specifically and biologic activity. Monoclonal antibodies are replacing conventional antisera in diagnostic laboratories and are providing new insights in medicine [R. H. Kennett, T. J. McKearn and K. B. Bechtol (editors), Monoclonal antibodies, Plenum Press, New York (1980); D. E. Yelton and M. D. Scharff, Ann. Rev. Biochem. 50:657-680 (1981); and M. S. Mitchell and H. F. Oettgen (editors), Hybridomas in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, Progress in cancer research and therapy, Vol. 21, Raven Press, (1982)]. Monoclonal antibodies produced by hybrid cell lines have potential use in many areas of medicine including therapy of human infection, malignancy, and transplantation rejection.